Old MacDonald Had a Farm but it was nothing like the factory farms that produce most of the beef, chicken, pork and lamb that are served in America today. Just this week, for instance, the Humane Society of America released video showing workers abusing chickens at two of the nation’s largest egg farms.

I myself have been a vegetarian for well over a decade but I’m not going to tell you or anyone else what to do. What I will suggest, however, is that you make all your choices—both fashion and diet—with awareness. And that means getting educated and perhaps facing some shocking truths.

So here are some resources to get you started:

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan

A short set of memorable rules for eating wisely by Michael Pollan, one of our nation’s most-trusted journalists on food-related issues.

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Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

An extraordinary investigation into the horrors of factory farming and compelling arguments for and against vegetarianism all triggered when a man becomes a father for the first time.

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Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It by Anna Lappe

An exploration of the role industrial farming plays in today’s climate crisis and a follow-up to the author’s mother’s 1971 classic, Diet for a Small Planet.

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Food, Inc.: A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food Is Making Us Sicker, Fatter and Poorer–And What You Can Do About It edited by Karl Weber

A series of essays from leading thinkers that are a follow-up to the successful film documentary of the same title.

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And once these books get you thinking about farms and where the food on your plate comes from every day, you may just be inspired to grab today’s VPOD. This vintage 1950s dress (hand-made with love) sports a print that depicts farm animals living in glee…sort of like they used to on Old MacDonald’s Farm before overcrowding and abuse became issues.

And there’s something so unexpected and interesting about the juxtaposition of this kitschy print with the sarong design. Just don’t be surprised if it triggers a conversation about chickens!

It’s a scenic little find for an eco-aware vintage fashionista.

Available at Dorothea’s Closet Vintage.

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